Air-brake valve mechanism.



Patented Nov. 6, I900. L. KRIMMELBEIN.

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Application filed June 27, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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L-KBl-MMELBEIN.

AIR BRAKE VALVE MECHANISM.

(Aipplication filed June 27, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 ShgetsShoat 2.

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LEOPOLD KRIMMELBEIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TOJOHN F. FELDMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

AIR-BRAKE VALVE MECHANlSl t/l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 6613874, dated November6, 1906.

Application filed June 27,1900 serial No. 21,717. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: reservoir, the triple-valve, and D my auto-Be itknownthatLLEOPOLD KRIMMELBEIN, Inatic device, all shown in theirrelative poa citizen of the United States, residing at Balsitions.timore, in the State of Maryland, have in- Referring now to Figs. 3 and4, the triple 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements valve 0 hasthe usual train-pipe air-chamber in Air-Brake Valve Mechanism, of whichthe a, through which air passes to and from the following is aspecification. piston-chamber b to act on the head of the My inventionrelates to valve mechanism triple-valve piston b. A bushingin saidpisfor railway air-brakes. ton-chamber has the usual feeding or charg-ID The standard triple valve in use to-day for ing groove 0, throughwhich train-pipe air is long trains is capable of three distinctoperafed to the valve-chamber d and thence to the tions, namely: first,a service application of auxiliary reservoir 13 when the piston b is inthe brakes by a slight reduction of presthe release position. (ShowninFig. 4.) As sure in the train-pipe to apply the brakes by is well known,the valve-chamber (Z has three I5 anXiliary-reservoir pressure only;secondly, ports f, e, and 00. The portf communicates an emergencyapplication of the brakes with with the brake-cylinder A,the port 6 commu nifull force by a great and rapid reduction of cates with the pistonof the emergency valve, pressure in the train'pipe to apply the brakesand the poi-ta; communicates with the two opby both auxiliary reservoirpressure and positely-extending exhaust-passagesg and g 2o train-pipepressure, and, thirdly, a release of of the triple valve casing leadingto the atmosthe brakes by increasing the pressure in the phere.train'pipe. Those versed in the art'of air-brakes are The object ofmyinvention is to provide, in aware that in the operation of triplevalves combination with a triple valve of this chara slight reductionof, say, five pounds pres 25 aeter, an automatic device which willenable sure in the train-pipe by the proper maniputhe engineer torecharge the auxiliary reserlation of the engineers valve will reducethe voirs of the several cars of the train to the maximum air-pressureof seventy pounds in maximum pressure while the brakes are in thetrainpipe air-chamber a and behind the the applied position withoutreleasing the piston b to, say, sixty-five pounds, and there 5o brakesand which will in no wise interfere being also the maximum air-pressureof sevwith any of the usual actions of the triple enty pounds in theauxiliary reservoir B and valve to apply the brakes for service and forvalve-chambercl the piston b will move back 4 emergency or to releasethe brakes. approximately to the position shown in Fig.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- 3 and will move with it theslide-valve which 35 panying drawings as applied to a VVestingcovers theports f, c, and a; of the chamber (1.

house quich -action triple valve, in which The slide-valve is not shownin Figs. 3 and 4.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a brake- This movement of theslide-valve uncovers cylinder,auxiliary reservoir,and quick-action theportfand admits air from the auxiliary triple valve of a freight-carequipment with reservoir B to the brake-cylinder A and ap- 0 myautomatic device applied. Fig 2 isatrans plies the brakes. After theapplication just verse section of the device. Fig, 3 is a horidescribedhas been made for a short period zontalsectiou ofaWestinghousequick-action many engineers have found that the braketriplevalve and a horizontal section of the deshoes gradually loosen theirpressure on the vit-eapplied thereto,the exhaust-air-retention carwheels on account of leakage of air 5 45 valve of the device beingclosed. Fig. 4 is a around the pistons of the brake-cylinders in similarview with the exhaust-air-retention the train-pipe or elsewhere and thatin convalve of the device open. 5 is a view of sequence tl1eairpressureis being continually the short pipe to connect between the new reducedto the pointof depletion in the auxdevice and the triple-valve case.iliary reservoirs. In the ordinary construe [C0 50 Referring to Fig. 1of the drawings, A desti n of triple valves when pressure is restorediguates the lu-akc-cylinder, T3 the auxiliary in the traiu-pipe torechztrgc the auxiliary reservoir the triple-valve piston 19 will moveto the release position, and thereby open the feeding or charging groove0; but such movement will also move the slide-valve and uncover theexhaust-port at, which will allow the air in the brake-cylinder toescape to the atmosphere and release the brake. In other words, afterthe brakes have been applied it is necessary to release the same beforethe auxiliary reservoirs can be recharged. If this were done While thetrain is descending a long grade, its impetus would be such that thetrain would likely get beyond control before the auxiliary reservoirscould be recharged and the brake again applied. It is one of the objectsof my invention to avoid this danger and to change this operation byproviding means whereby any of the triple valves in use to-day such, forinstance, as the Westinghouse quick-action triple valve illustrated inthe accompanying drawingsmay be prevented from releasing the brakeswhile the auxiliary reservoirs are being recharged, and yet at the sametime not interfere with the customary service, emergency, and releaseactions of the triple valve. I shall now describe the construction ofthe means shown for this purpose. Upon both sides of the triple-Valvecase 0 are interiorlyscrew-threaded exhaust-nozzles h and h incommunication with the exhaust-passages g and g. In one of saidexhaust-nozzlesin this instance, the nozzle his screwed a nipple 1',formed onand extending from the center of a circular head i. Abuttingagainst said head and a gasket t is a cylinder E, formed with two.exterior oppositely-extending websjj, bolted to the casing of a triplevalve 0, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Said cylin der E is also formed atits end adjacent said headi with an interior annular shoulder or flange7s. A bushing Z fits within said cylinder next to said flange 7c and isprovided with an apertured partition Z. Another bushing m fits withinthe cylinder at its outer end and adjoining the said bushing Z, and headn on the outer end abuts upon said last-named bushing and holds the twobushings tightly in place, being itself secured to the cylinder E bybolts, as shown. Centered within said cylinder and bushings is avalverod 0, fitting snugly through the,.aperture in the partition Z, andtwo flexible diaphragms p and p are secured to disksp on said valverod,and one diaphragm 13 has its rim'edge tightly held between the abuttingedges of the two bushings Z and m and the other diaphragm 1) between thebushing Z and the interior annular shoulder or flange 70. These twodiaphragms and the partition divide the cylinder into four compartmentsor chambers,

(designated 1, 2, 3, and 4,) for a purpose to be presently described.

The circular head i on which the cylinder E abuts, is provided with avalve-port q, adapted. to establish communication between theexhaust-nozzle h of the triple valve and the cylinder-chamber 4;. Anexhaust-air-retention valve q is forced by a coil-spring 0* against saidvalve-port to close the same, and the forward end of said valve isprovided with a projecting pin 1 That end of the valve-rod 0 adjacentthe outer head a of the cylinder slides in a cap-nut r, and a spring ris compressed between this nut and the adjacent disk 13 This spring isof somewhat greater tension than the first-named spring 1', and therebyunder normal conditions presses the opposite end of the valve-rod 0against the projecting pin g on the exhaust-air-retention valve q" andholds the latter off its seat q. In the chamber 3 and secured to saidvalve-rod 0 is a packing-collar 0, provided with a washer adapted to fitagainst the partition Z around the aperture when the valve-rod moves inthe direction to close the valve q. The purpose of this packing-collarwill be hereinafter described.

I shall hereinafter, for convenience, refer to the chamber 2 as theretention-chamber and to the chamber 3 as the releasingchamber.

Communication is established between the retention-chamber 2 and theauxiliary reservoir B and between the releasing-chamber 3 and thetrain-pipe in the following manner: The cylinder E is provided with anannular exterior flange s, which is eccentric to the circular headt' andrests on said head and is made air-tight by a gasket The broader part ofthis flange at one side projects down around said head and contacts withthe triplevalve casing at 5 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A passage 3' isformed in the wall of the cylinder E from the releasing-chamber 3 to thebroad part of the eccentric flange .5, thence at right angles throughsaid flange and toward the triple-valve casing, and, finally, in anoblique direction through said triple-valve easing into thepiston-chamber b on the trainpipe side of the piston. Another passagetleads from the retention-chamber 2 through the opposite side of thecylinder E toward the circular head i, and a suitable communication orpassage is made from this passage i to the triple-valve chamber 61 or tothe auxiliary reservoir. This communication or passage maybe made asfollows: The said head is provided with a tapering aperture u, thelarger side of which coincides with the outer end of the passage t. Apipe t has one end flaring, as at '0, which fits snuglyin said aperture,while the other end of said pipe is tapered, as at 12 and fits snugly ina tapering recess w in the triple-valve casing, and a passage w' leadsfrom said recess into the slidevalve chamber d of the triple-valve case,and thus establishes communication with the auxiliary reservoir. Apassage y, as shown in Fig. 2, establishes communication between the twochambers 4t and l and is adapted to carry off the exhaust-ai r from thetriple valve 0 when releasing the brakes, the air being discharged intothe atmosphere through an outlet-opening y in the outer head a of thecylinder E.

A cock ,2 is secured in the exhaust-nozzle 7t of the triple-valve caseopposite the nozzle 7i, to which the circular i n ner head 1' issecured. The cock when open cuts out or shortcircuits my improved deviceD, but when closed compels the exhaust-air issuing from the exha ustportLU to go through the passage 9 into the nipple t, in which theexhaust-air-retention valve is located.

In the description of the practical operation of a triple valve to whichmy improved device D is applied reference is to be first had to Fig. 4of the accompanying drawings. When the parts are in the releasedposition, as shown in said figure, there are seventy pounds airpressurein the train-pipe air-chamber a of the triple valve, seventy poundspressure in the auxiliary reservoir B and valve-chamber (Z, seventypounds pressure in chambers 2 and 3 of my improved device D by means ofthe passages t and .5", and only atmospheric pressure in chambers 1 andat. The brakes are now in the released position.

To apply the brakes for an ordinary service application, the engineermanipulates his engineers valvein the locomotive-cab to slightly reducethe pressure in the train-pipe. This slight reduction moves thetriplevalve piston 13 and slide-valve from the released position, so asto uncover the portfand admit air from the auxiliary reservoir B to thebrake-cylinder A, and at the same time this slight reduction will reducethe air-pressure in the releasing-chamber 3 of the retainer. There beingfor the moment a greater air-pressure in the retaining-chamber 2 than inthe chamber 3 the preponderance of pressure acting on the diaphragm 1)will move the rod 0 away from the exhaust-air-retention valve q and thesaid valve will immediately close to its seat, as shown in Fig. 3. Afterthe engineer has made this slight reduction he brings his engineersvalve-lever back slightly to what is known as the lap or blank position,whereupon the air-pressure in the auxiliary reservoir 13 and train-pipeand in the two chambers 2 and 3 will become equalized and theexhaust-airretention valve q will be again opened by the greater tensionof the spring 7' over the spring 7'. This equalization is caused by theair rushing from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder, andwhile the pressure is said to be equalized yet there is always just aslightly-greater reduction in the auxiliary reservoir and on theanxiliary-reservoir side of the piston Z) than in the train-pipe and onthe train pipe side of said piston. This slightlygreater reduction justmentioned is just sut'licient to move the triple-valve piston I)slightly toward the release position just far enough to close thegraduating-port in the slide-valve by reason of the lost motion betweenthe graduating-valve and slide-valve, but will not move the slide-valveitself. The sl ightly-grez'iter pressure on the trairrpipc side of thetriple-valve piston, which moved said piston to close thegraduating-port, will result in leaving a slightly-greater pressure inchamber 3 over that whichis in chamber 2. Now, as this first reductionis not sufficient to set the brakes tightly against the wheels, shouldit be necessary to apply any further pressure the engineer will makeanother slight reduction, which will simply move the piston in thedirection away from the release position far enough to again open thegraduating-port in the slide-valve and admit more air into thebrake-cylinder, but will not move the slidevalve. Accordingly everyfurther reduction of air-pressure will cause the exhaust-air-re tentionvalve g to first open and then close when the air-pressure becomesequalized at the four points last named, except that there is aslightly-greater pressure in chamber 3 than in chamber 2, and theseslight reductions will be repeated until there is the desired amount ofair-pressure in the brakecylinder. Should the engineer now desire torecharge the auxiliary reservoir while the brakes are applied, herestores the train-pipe pressure very gradually. This gradualrestoration of pressure in the train-pipe moves the piston b to therelease position, which opens the feeding-groove c and also moves theentire slide-valve to cover portf and to open exhaustport Now without myretainer D the air from the brake-cylinder would escape through saidexhaust-port a; to the atmosphere and the brakes would be released butwith the device of my invention this escape is impossible, as the cockzis closed. Therefore the air in the brakecylindcr will rush against theexhaust-air-retention valve q and close it, because the said brakecyli1rder air-pressure is so great that it readily overcomes anyslightly-greater pressure in chamber 3 over chamber 2. Now the trainpipeair-pressure can pass through the feedinggroove c and recharge theauxiliary res ervoir while the brakes are in applied position, so thatit will be seen the auxiliary reservoir can be recharged, while the airin the brake-cylinder is held from escaping. Finally, when it is desiredto release the brakes either before or after the auxiliary reservoir isrecharged a quick restoration of pressure in the train-pipe will causethe air to rush into chamber 3 much faster than it can be re stored inchamber 2, and the diaphragm 1) will then force the end of the valve-rod0 against the pin 1 on the exhaust-airretention valve q and cause saidvalve to open and permit the air from the brake-cylinder to exhaustthrough valve-port q, chamber at, passage 1 chamber 1', andoutlet-opening into the at mosphere.

The purpose of the packing-collar 0 referred to in the description ofthe construction of my device is as follows: Should an emergencyapplication of the brakes be made, the air-pressure in the chamber 3will. be

greatly red need and the diaphragm p of the IIO other chamber will drawthe valve-rod so as to press the packing-collar tightly against thepartition Z, which will prevent the air leaking from the auxiliaryreservoir and chamber 2 through the opening through which the valve-rod0 extends.

While I have described the operation of my device when making serviceapplication and releasing, the emergency applications and releasing ofthe brakes may also be made without any interference by the device of myin- Vention.

WVhile I have illustrated my invention as applied to a Westinghousequick-action triple valve, it is manifest that it is applicable to anyknown form of plain or quick-action triple valve in use today, andtherefore my invention is not limited to the exact construction shownand described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the triple valve of air-brake mechanism, of anautomatic retainer connected therewith and provided witharetention-chamber and releasing-chamber always in open communicationwith the auxiliary reservoir and train-pipe respectively; and anexhaust-air-retention valve in said retainer, as set forth.

2. The combination with the triple valve of an air-brake mechanism, ofan automatic retainer connected therewith and provided with a rigidpartition and a diaphragm on each side of said partition and formingtherewith two chambers which are at all times in communication with theauxiliary reservoir and train-pipe respectively; a valve-rod extendingthrough said partition and secured to said diaphragm; and anexhaust-air-retention valve adapted to be closed by the exhaustair fromthe triple valve and opened by engagement with said valve-rod, as setforth.

3. The combination with the triple valve of an air-brake mechanism, ofan automatic retainer connected therewith and provided with a partitionand a diaphragm on each side of said partition and forming therewith twochambers in communication with the auxiliary reservoir and train-piperespectively; a valve-rod extending through said partition and securedto said diaphragms; and an exhaust-air-retention valve in said retaineradapted to be closed by the exhaust-air from the triple valve, anddisconnected from but arranged to be engaged and opened by saidvalve-rod, as set forth.

4. The combination with railway air-brake mechanism, of an automaticretainer connected with the triple-valve case and provided with aretention-chamber and a releasingchamber always in open communicationrespectively, with the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe, and anexhaust-air-retention valve in said retainer, said valve being held offits seat when the pressure in the said releasing-chamber is equal to orgreater than the pressure in the said retention-chamber, but closing toits seat when the pressure in said releasing-chamber is reduced belowthe other chamber, as set forth.

5. The combination with air-brake-valve mechanism, of a cylinderconnected with the triple-valve case and provided with a rigid partitionand two diaphragms one on each side of said partition and formingtherewith a retention-cha mber and a releasin -chamber in communicationrespectively, with the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe; avalverod extending through said partition and secured to saiddiaphragms; and an exhaustair-retention valve adapted to control theexhaust from the triple valve and arranged for engagement and actuationby said valve-rod, as set forth.

6. The combination with railway air-brake mechanism, of an automaticretainer connected with the triple valve and provided with a partitionand two diaphragms, one on each side of said partition and forming aretentionchamber and a releasing-chamber in communication respectively,with the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe; anexhaust-air-retention valve in said retainer adapted to control theexhaust-air from said triple valve and normally spring-pressed to itsseat; a valverod fitted through said partition and secured to saiddiaphragms; and a spring tending to move said valve-rod in the directionto hold the exhaust-air-retention valve off its seat, whereby whenpressure is reduced in the releasing-chamber of the retainer, said rodwill move out of contact with said exhaust-air-retention'valve and allowthe latter to close, as set forth.

-7. The combination with railway air-brake mechanism, of a head providedwith a nipple screwing in one exhaust-nozzle of the triplevalve case; acylinder abutting against said head and provided with webs securing itto said triple-valve case and an exterior flange abutting against saidtriple valve, and also provided with a retention-chamber and areleasing-chamber and passages establishing communication between saidchambers and the auxiliary reservoir and train-pipe respectively; aspring-pressed exhaust-air-retention valve in said nipple adapted tocontrol the exhaust from said triple valve; means for normally holdingsaid exhaust-air-retention valve open; and means for permitting saidexhaust-air-retention valve to close by the reduction of pressure in thesaid releasingchamber, as set forth.

8. The combination with a triple valve provided with a brake-cylinderport, f, an emergency-port, e, and an exhaust-port, w, of an automaticretainer provided with four chambers, 1, 2, 3, and 4:, of which thechambers 2 and 3 are always in open communication with the auxiliaryreservoir and train-pipe respectively, and the chambers 1 and a are incommunication with each other and the atmosphere; and anexhaust-air-retention valve controlling the escape of air from saidexhaustport, :13, to the chambers l and 4: and thence to the atmosphere,as set forth.

9. The combination with the triple valve of an air-brake mechanism, ofan automatic retainerconnected therewith and provided with a partitionand a diaphragm on each side of said partition and forming therewith twochambers in communication with the auxiliary reservoir and train-piperespectively; a valve-rod extending through said partition and securedto said diaphragms; and an exhaust-air-retention valve in said retaineradapted to be closed by the exhaust-air from the triple valve, saidexhaust-air-retention valve being provided with a pin which extendsthrough its seat and is adapted to be engaged by the end of saidvalve-rod, as set forth.

10. The combination with the triple valve of an air-hrake mechanism, ofan automatic retainer connected therewith and provided with a partitionand a diaphragm on each side of said partition and forming therewith twochambers at all times in communication with the auxiliaryreservoir andthe train-pipe respectively; a valve-rod extending through saidpartition and secured to said diaphragms; an exhaust-air-retention valvein said re tainer adapted to be closed by the exhaustcollar on saidvalve rod in that chamber which is in communication with the train-pipe,as set forth.

11. The combination with the triple valve of an air-brake mechanism, ofan automatic retainer having a head formed with a nipple connected withone exhaust nozzle of the triple-valve case and a valve-port extendingthrough said head; a cylinder abutting against said head and providedWith a partition and a retention-chamber and a releasingchamber one oneach side of said partition and in open communication with the auxiliaryreservoir and train-pipe, respectively; an exhaust-air-retention valvein said nipple and provided with a pin extending through said valveport; and a valve rod extending through said partition and moved by thevariations of air-pressure in the two chambers into and out ofengagement with said pin, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

LEOPOLD KRIMMELBEIN.

Witnesses:

F. S. STITT, 7 CHARLES L. VIETSOH.

